Main Entry: ¹ol·ive

Pronunciation: \ˈä-liv, -ləv\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin oliva, from Greek elaia

Date: 13th century

1 a : a Mediterranean evergreen tree (Olea europaea of the family Oleaceae, the olive family) cultivated for its drupaceous fruit that is an important food and source of oil; also : the fruit b : any of various shrubs and trees resembling the olive
2 : any of several colors resembling that of the unripe fruit of the olive tree that are yellowish green
3 : an oval eminence on each ventrolateral aspect of the medulla oblongata